Dash-rail for vehicles.



No. 632,354. Patented Sept. 5, I899.

J. LEACH.

DASH RAIL FDR VEHICLES.

(Application tiled Dec. 12, 1898.) (No Model.)

f f- CJ, E :L

.7i/L eases, lbvr,

mi mams frias no. mma-urne.. wnsrnnm'. o. L

Nirnn STATI-3s ATENT Prion,

JOSEPH LEAOH, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT COLLINGE, OF SAME PLACE.

DASH-RAIL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,354, dated September' 5, 189.9.

Application led December 12, 1898. Serial NO- 6991003 (N0 11105613 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LnAcH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dash-Rails for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of thisinvention is to provide a combined rein holding and elevating device which can be'attached to the dashboard of vehicles, including in its construction the practical features of a double elevator and supporter and guard for the reins, both of which are adjustable in height and the latter of which is also adjustable laterally.

The object is to provide a construction which is simple in its formation, convenient lto use, and neat and ornamental in its appearance and which will possess the important feature of overcoming the very annoying trouble of the horse 'switching its tail over the reins and by its being an elevated rest for the reins relieving th'e driver of the straining position of the arms and hands incident to the keeping up of the reins from a swagging position without my device. these desirable features it supplies a longfelt want by contributing ease and comfort to the driver.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichkis a section on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. l

looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A is the vehicle-dash, which is of any usual or desired construction.

B are a pair of standards which are attached to the top edge of the dash, preferably by means of the clamping-plates C. The plates O are used in pairs and will preferably be` stamped out of sheet metal, as iron, steel, or

brass, though they may be cast. Each will `balance of the standard isbuilt.

have a pair of opposite perforated ears c, between which will be a horizontal or longitudinal corrugation O2 to t around the top rail of the dash-frame. The two clamps of each pair will be held and drawn together by the screw-bolts c3. The upper pair of these screwbolts c3 will also pass through openings in the base of the standards B, the said bases being impinged between the two clamps in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The standards above the dash may be of any desired shape for ornamental purposes which will allow for a series of holes b in vertical alinement.

D is a transverse bar which connects thev two opposite standards by having the ends of said bar secured to the standards by means of the screw-bolts b2, which are projected through the holes b in the standards and through suitable holes in the bar ends. By means of the series of holes in the standards the bar D can be adjusted to any height or position that may be desired, the bar being secured horizontally above the dashboard. The bar D is also provided with a series of 'countersinks d, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

I will now describe the standard or bracket G, which forms an important and useful part `of my invention. .Its functions are threefold. First, it is a rein-elevator to hold the reins above the reach of the horses tail; second, it is a convenient rest or support for both the reins and the driver, for by resting the reins on the support the driver is rested from the fatigue of holding them in the needful elevated position, and, third, it is a sliding guard which slides to the right or left and carries the' reins with it to suit any position the driver may occupy on the seat of the vehicle, whether to the right, to the left, or in the center. In the make-up of this standard G the block G' forms the base upon which the It is provided with a transverse opening, by means of which it will be threaded onto the transverse bar D, the opening being of such shape and 'size as to make a close sliding fit upon the 'said bar.

IOO

thickness of the shank will be less than that of the block to form shoulders on each side of it, as shown. The block will also be provided wit-h a threaded opening, into which the set-screw g will work. The end of the screw is adapted to enter the countersinks d when the block is in proper position over them, thereby locking the block against lateral movement on the bar. Secured a suitable distance above the block G' is the bifurcated guard I-I, the vertical prongs 7L of which will preferably be ornamentally curved, as shown. These prongs h will form the supports for the roller h', which will preferablybe a cylindrical bar of iron or steel, the ends of which are seated in suitable holes or sockets drilled into the inside faces of the prongs in the manner as clearly shown in Fig. 2. For convenience in drilling the holes on the inner faces of the prongs and for the easy insertion of the roller I prefer to make the guard in two separable parts, the line of division coming in the shankv h2,- but as the guard might bemade from brass or malleable iron, which would permit of the bending of same to make the holes and insert the roller, thereby enabling the guard to be made -in one piece, I do not wish to limit this invention to the two-part construction shown in the drawings.

Various means for connecting and supporting the guard with and from the block G', such as casting the guard and block integral with a supporting-stem or the block and stem integrally andriveting the guard to the stem and in other ways, maybe adopted; but I prefer for the sake of cheapness, lightness, and ornamentation to make a built-up standard such as is shown in the drawings. This consists of two vertical bars of strap-iron g3, which are riveted on opposite sides of the shank g. The lower ends of the bars g3 are bent out at right angles to form the horizontal extensions g4, the elbow made by the bend resting on the shoulders of the block previously referred to, and then at a suitable distance from the block the ends are bent down at right angles and slotted to form the catches g7, which by having the bar D projected through them embrace and hold to the latter to prevent the side tipping of the standard G. Additional resisting strength against lateral displacement of the standard is obtained by the braces g, the lower ends of which are bent in and rest on top of the extensions g4, to which they are riveted, while the upper ends are brought in against the bars g3 and all four of 'said bars united by means of a rivet, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper ends of the braces g extend above the bars g3 and aord an attachment with the shank h2 of the guard H by the insertion of said shank into the space between the brace ends gG above the bars g3. The parts are fastened by riveting them together and may be so used without any additional feature of construction; but preferably I will add a tubular sleeve J, which surrounds all of the spliced parts reaching from the guard to diverging point of the diagonal braces.

The cross-bar D, as I have shown and described, takes the place of the ordinary dashrail and may be used with advantage without the standard G with its rein-guard. Itis capable of vertical adjustment and therein possesses valuable features which the fixed dashrail does not possess. In winter when the flies are absent this bar affords ample support for the reins without the higher elevatin g-support, which therefore will be removed; but in summer and such times when the liies annoy the animal the elevated rein-guard is necessary and can be slipped onto the crossbar and then set at any desired point on same. A vertical adjustment of the guard to suit the size of the horse is obtained by raising or lowering the cross-bar D.

By making the guard open at the top the reins may be quickly withdrawn by an upward movement of the drivers arm and then replaced after the horse is subdued. The roller allows' of a free play of the reins and also prevents injury to the reins by Wear such as would result without it.

I-laving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination, with a dash-rail having bolt-holes at the ends, of supports extending longitudinally above the dash and having a series of longitudinally-alined openings clamping-plates having a longitudinal corrugation and perforated ears on each side of the corrugations, said plates being placed in pairs on opposite sides of the dash with the top rail of the dash in the corrugations and the base of the supports between the upper ears of the plates, and screws or bolts for uniting the rail and supports and clamps, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of a dashboard forve hicles having a marginal frame, plates having a longitudinal eorrugation and perforated ears on each side of the eorrugation said plates being placed in pairs on opposite sides of the dash with the top rail of the dash-frame in the corrugations, dash-rail supports having perforated bases, said bases being impinged between the top ears of the clampingplates,l screws or bolts to fasten the plates to each other in pairs and to the dash and dashrail supports said supports extending longitudinally above the dash and having a lonj gitudinal series of bolt-holes, a transverse bar connecting the two supports and adjustable in its height in the manner substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

3. The standard or bracket G, comprising a slotted block having a set-screw projecting into the slot, a vertical bar or bars secured to the block, said bars having laterally-proj ected ends parallel with Athe central body portion with slots registering with the slot of the block, diagonal braces from these slotted lateral ends to the central body and a bifur- IOO IIO

cated rein guard and holder at the top of the standard,substantially as described and specied.

4. The combination With clamping-plates having longitudinal corrugations and perforated marginal ears, of a pair of upwardlyprojected supports extending above the dash and having a longitudinal series of bolt-hole openings and perforated bases, a dash-rail With perforated ends and a series of countersinks on its front side, screws or bolts for connecting the clamps and standards and dashrail, and a bracket sliding on the dash-rail and having a bifurcated top with a roller between the forks of said top and said bracket having a set-screw to enter the oountersinks in the dash-rail, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

5. The combination, With a dash-rail of a rein-guard and bracket sliding longitudinally of the rail, said brackethaving a slotted block at its base with a set-sorew to tighten it onto the rail, and having a guard at the top With right and left separable prongs, said prongs having inside sockets and a cylindrical rod having its ends mounted in said sockets thereby providing a roller, substantially as described and specified.

6. The standard or bracket Gr, comprising a slotted block having a set-screw projecting into the slot, a Vertical bar or bars secured to the block, said bars having laterally-pro-V jected ends parallel With the central body portion, With slots registering with the slots of the block, diagonal braces from these slotted lateral ends to the central body, and a bfurcated rein guard and holder at the top of the standard, the two prongs of which are separate pieces, said prongs having inside sockets and a cylindrical rod having its ends mounted in said sockets, substantially as described and specified.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 10th day of December, A. D. 1898.

JosEPI-r LEAoH. [n s] Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. MINTURN, CARL SCHLEGEL. 

